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IRIN examines possible changes to U.S. food aid policy

IRIN examines the Obama administration's efforts to expand U.S. food aid beyond the distribution of domestically-produced food to countries in need.

7 May 2010

Fart blanket here to make marriages better!

A blanket made of activated carbon fragment that can aid in absorbing the stench from flatulence has been a hit in the market. The advertisement has become a hit on Youtube. MyFOXny.com said that this campaign for a Better Marriage Blanket is still not on TV but has been viewed more than one million times online since March 31. Another online marketing site has also called it “this year's Snuggie”.

6 May 2010

Chicken nuggets rate not too good in nutritional value: consumer report

A product evaluation organization Consumer Reports recently analyzed 12 brands of chicken nuggets including brands like Market Pantry (from Target), Bell & Evans Breaded, Kirland Signature Disney (Costco), and Health Is Wealth.

6 May 2010

New tools developed to enrich cereal products with bioactive compounds

The bioactive compounds of cereals are concentrated in the peripheral layers of the grains (bran) but most of them have a low bio-accessibility. In the HEALTHGRAIN project of the European Union, new tools for process monitoring were developed that support commercial implementation of innovative milling techniques including partial grain debranning, fine grinding and classification of grain fractions, resulting in flours and ingredients with enhanced nutritional properties.

6 May 2010

Global warming could lead to deadly temperatures for humans in coming centuries: Research

Reasonable worst-case scenarios for global warming could lead to deadly temperatures for humans in coming centuries, according to research findings from Purdue University and the University of New South Wales, Australia.

6 May 2010

Emotions can sabotage weight loss goals

How many times have you, after a particularly hard day, reached for some chocolate or ice cream? It's common for many people, but for those trying to lose weight, it can be detrimental to their long term success, and most weight-loss programs never even address it.

6 May 2010

HEALTHGRAIN Forum to develop European definition of whole grain

Cereal grain kernels consist of three main parts: endosperm, bran and germ. In Europe and worldwide most cereal products, like white bread, are based on kernels or flour after removal of bran and germ, the two parts containing most of the dietary fibre and other bioactive components. In the past decade consumers have been rediscovering whole grain based products. As a result consumption of whole grain products is growing world wide and in Europe also in countries where whole grain products were hardly known.

5 May 2010

AU chair discusses proposed food security compact ahead of World Economic Forum on Africa

Malawi's President Bingu wa Mutharika "said he planned to work with other African leaders to devise a programme on food security that was sustainable 'regardless of who is looking at it,' and set up what he called an African compact on food security to act as an independent advisory body to the African Union on agriculture and food issues," the Guardian's "Katine" blog reports.

5 May 2010

Ideal working environment can reduce psychosocial risks and health-related problems

The way people's work is organised can harm their health by causing a range of ailments, from cardiovascular disease to problems with mental health.

4 May 2010

Non-daily use of tobacco can trigger nicotine dependency among adolescents

Kids who have just started smoking, but not on a daily basis, don't seem to recognize the early symptoms of dependence, according to a new study.

4 May 2010

Early or delayed puberty can trigger antisocial behavior in adolescent boys

Puberty that arrives earlier or later in adolescent boys relative to their peers can trigger chemicals that are related to antisocial behavior, according to researchers, whose findings have key implications for parents with aggressive boys.

4 May 2010

Difference between grief and depression

"A son is a son till he takes a wife, a daughter is a daughter all her life," goes the old Irish saying. Though there is an extraordinary bond between every mother and child there is something unique about the relationship between a mother and daughter

4 May 2010

Tobacco companies increase marketing to women in developing countries

Agence France-Presse examines a trend among tobacco firms targeting ads toward women in developing countries: "Advertisements telling smokers they are smarter, more energetic and better lovers than their non-smoking counterparts are a familiar sight across Bangladesh - something unimaginable in most other countries," the news service writes.

3 May 2010

FDA sets new safety standards for transportation of food

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is asking commercial food transporters to follow new guidance the agency is issuing today to reduce the chances of physical, chemical, biological and other risks during transportation of foods while the agency reviews current food safety transportation regulations.

3 May 2010

Differing views on organic food and its health benefit

There is a rising debate on the benefits, utility, authenticity and cost issues of organic foods over conventional produce. There are industry spokespeople who claim that organic foods can do wonders for health. They claim that the pesticides, herbicides and fertilisers used in conventional production can do more harm than we know.

3 May 2010

Exercise tips for long-term fitness

From working out to eating right, knowing how to best live a healthy lifestyle can become confusing. The long-term health landscape continues to change as research into integrative medicine and genomic function evolves.

3 May 2010

Foreign Policy examines global food security

One article, Robert Paarlberg, a professor of political science at Wellesley College, who has written a book about food security, argues that "[p]overty - caused by the low income productivity of farmers' labor - is the primary source of hunger in Africa, and the problem is only getting worse." Paarlberg writes about the need for "greater resources" to be put towards "farm technology, irrigation, and rural roads" in order to benefit small farmers in Africa.

3 May 2010

Financial Times reports on challenges NGOs, development agencies face when partnering with businesses

The Financial Times reports on some of the challenges non-governmental organizations and development agencies face as they grow more accustomed to partnerships with businesses.

30 Apr 2010

Study shows organic snackers underestimate calorie counts

Could organic labels lead you to overeat? These labels certainly appear to make people think their organic snack has a lot fewer calories than it really does.

30 Apr 2010

Hullabaloo over the tobacco tax hike and planned plain cigarette packaging law

The Australian Federal Government this week announced an increase in taxes by 25% on cigarettes to discourage smoking and generate funds for more antismoking measures. In a new development Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott announced that the Coalition will support this move.

29 Apr 2010